Chiefs-Raiders NFL Gambling: My Other Carr is a Porsche

If Oakland Raiders’ QB Derek Carr usually performs, as far as NFL betting fans are concerned, like a finely tuned sports car, he was, in Sunday’s 16-17 loss to the LA Chargers, more like the jalopy in which the Joads started from Oklahoma to California. Carr went, in his return from injury, 21-of-30 (only five of which were 10 yards or more) for 171 yards with one TD and two picks. “It had nothing to do with my back,” Carr said. “They play really soft zone coverage. That’s what (Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley) does. He tries to create pressure and hide some things. Usually, when they play soft, you have to take those.” Carr and the Raiders’ offense as a whole will have to get a lot better really fast if they want to have a chance against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Raiders have won the three prime time games they have played at home since 2014, starting with the Chiefs in what was Carr’s first NFL win. That was, however, also the last time Oakland has defeated Kansas City, to whom they have lost five straight. The Raiders have, additionally, lost, and failed to cover in, their last four overall games, during which period they have averaged 13.25 points per game and only so much of that can be blamed on Carr’s injury. Oakland has covered in five of their last seven at home but is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 against AFC West teams and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall. KC, meanwhile is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 visits to Oakland and 4-1 ATS in their last five encounters between the two teams. If the Raiders’ losing streak continues, and, versus the Chiefs, it most likely will, then so probably will their against-the-NFL gambling-spread losing streak.

A crack in the ice

The Chiefs showed the first sign of a weakness in their 13-19 loss to the Steelers on Sunday, their first of the season, as well as the first time this year that Kansas City fails to cover the spread. The 194 rushing yards they allowed Pittsburgh sank KC into the 28th spot in yards per rush allowed. QB Alex Smith has, on the plus side, yet to throw a pick, while the Raiders have yet to intercept a pass. The Chiefs, moreover, have not lost consecutive games in two years, and have not dropped one on the road since October 2nd, 2016. Sunday’s low scoring affair means that the total went under in a Chiefs game since their week 3 clash with the Chargers. The NFL gambling under is 18-6 in the last 24 games pitting the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders, and 8-4 in the Chiefs’ last 12 trips to Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.